Month: May 2016

by Jacoby Nolnaho

Superior Sluggers

During the 2015 baseball season many players hit 20 or more home runs. There was new players hitting 20 home runs or players hitting them in their 5th consecutive year. In this article you will learn who these superior sluggers are.

Chris Davis

Chris Davis led all of Major League Baseball with 47 home runs. He is the only Oriole to lead the league in home runs twice. With those 47 home runs, he also drove in 117 RBIs and scored 100 times.

Nolan Arenado

Nolan Arenado had a breakout season. He went from just being a Gold Glove third baseman to a home run hitter. He tied the National League lead with 42 home runs. He also doubled 43 times and drove in a league leading 130 RBIs and scored 97 times.

Bryce Harper

Bryce Harper had his best season yet. He hit 42 home runs witch tied the National League lead. He led the league with runs scored and drove in 99 RBIs. In addition to that he walked 124 times and doubled 38 times.

Josh Donaldson

Josh Donaldson totally blossomed with the Toronto Blue Jays making them the most feared line up. He was the star of the pack. He hit 41 home runs, drove in 123 RBIs, scored 122 times, and hit .297.

Mike Trout

In 2014, Mike Trout won the American League Most Valuable Player award. In 2015, He didn’t slow down. Mike Trout hit 41 home runs, drove in 90 RBIs, doubled 32 times, and had a slugging percentage of .590. He did all this while walking 92 times and posting a .299 batting average.

Jose Bautista

Jose Bautista was part of the Toronto Blue Jays lineup that led all of Major League Baseball in home runs as a team. He it 40 home runs, drove in 114 RBIs, scored 108 runs, and walked 110 times.

Nelson Cruz

Nelson Cruz had to transfer from Camden Yards to the spacious Safeco field. People thought he would be good there. Well, he proved them wrong. Nelson Cruz hit a career high 44 home runs, drove in 93 RBIs, and scored 90 times. He also doubled 22 times and posted a .302 batting average.

Edwin Encarnacion

Edwin Encarnacion was part of the 2015 Toronto Blue Jays lineup. He hit 39 home runs, drove in 111 RBIs, scored 94 runs, and doubled 31 times. Alongside Jose Bautista and Josh Donaldson, Edwin Encarnacion helped lead the Toronto Blue Jays to the playoffs.

Joey Votto

Joey Votto had a great season after returning from an injured 2014 season. In 2015, Joey Votto hit 29 home runs, drove in 80 RBIs, and scored 95 times. He also doubled 33 times and posted a batting average of .314. The most impressive stat of Joey Votto was that he walked 143 times. He showed that power hitters can be patient.

Paul Goldschmidt

Paul Goldschmidt is the Arizona Diamondbacks’ superstar. An All-Star, Silver Slugger, and Gold Glove winner does something great every night. In 2015, Paul hit 33 home runs, drove in 110 RBIs, stole 21 bases, walked 118 times, and posted a .321 batting average. He also slugged .570.

Manny Machado

Manny Machado had a career year in 2015. He sure did it all for the Baltimore Orioles. He hit 35 home runs and stole 20 bases. He also drove in 86 RBIs and scored 102 times. The 23 year old was selected to the Esurance Home Run Derby.

by Jacoby Nolnaho

Jacoby Nolnaho

Jacoby Nolnaho is the lead writer for The Bleacher Creature. He expresses his feelings and publishes all his thoughts. He uploads a plethora of different articles and weekly. Check out Jacoby Nolnaho’s work on The Bleacher Creature. The Bleacher Creature, the unofficial site for the official fan!

by Jacoby Nolnaho

Young Superstars

Every player in MLB history has once been a rookie at some time.  We will now look at the greatest youngsters of all time.

             Mike Trout

Mike Trout is obviously the best youngster of all-time.  Some people even say that he is the next Mickey Mantle.  In his rookie campaign, he hit thirty home runs and stole 49 bases.  He is one of the only people of all time to be in the 30-30 club in his rookie season.  Don’t forget his impossible plays.  It was then no surprise when the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim signed him to a contract that would last until the end of 2020.

           Clayton Kershaw

Clayton Kershaw is the Mike Trout of pitching.  He does everything right.  He has multiple Cy Young Awards.  He also pitched a no-hitter.  The Dodgers signed him to a ten year deal for a record $215 million dollars!!!  That is a really big deal.  Most announcers say that ”Kershaw does it all!”  That is true.  He made a diving stop, hits multiple doubles, and let’s not forget to mention his super human pitching performances.  Whenever Kershaw is pitching, you expect him to win. 90% of the time you’re right.

Giancarlo Stanton

Giancarlo Stanton is a super slugger for the Miami Marlins.  He slugs home runs whenever he can.  He is still really young.  2014 would be a breakout season for Stanton until it was cut short due to getting a ball to the face.

            Bryce Harper

Bryce Harper is the youngest baseball player.  At the age of 19 he hit 22 home runs.    He also attended the 2013 Home Run Derby at Citi Field.  He is also a regular at the all-star game.  Although his 2014 season was short because of injuries, he still has a bright future.

Dee Gordon

Dee Gordon is one of the best speedsters of the game.  He is a younger version of fellow teammates Carl Crawford and Hanley Ramirez.  He steals bases like there is no tomorrow.  The Dodgers are a really lucky team with all their young superstars.

          Billy Hamilton

Billy Hamilton is the Dee Gordon of the Reds.  He also is a stealing machine.  He is the only player of all time to steal 4 bases in his first major league start.  He is also one of the best outfielders of the game today.  He always   makes a diving stop.  So next time you go to a Reds game, don’t be surprised if you see Billy Hamilton steal!

            Yasiel Puig

Yasiel Puig is the best outfielder at throwing people out.  Whenever he ruins someone’s day, he gives his signature finger wag.   But you can’t forget his skills at the plate.  In his debut month of July, he got  second place in the record books for most  hits in a debut month with 44. He also participated  in the 2014 Gillette Home Run Derby at Target Field.  That won’t be the only time he will be in a All-Star game.

               Jose Altuve

Whenever you think of a superstar,  you think of a big and strong frame.  You think a superstar has to be 6’5 or 230 pounds of pure muscle.  If you think that’s true, you would be wrong.  A 5’6 superstar would debut in 2013 like any average player.  He didn’t know that in 2014 he would lead the majors in hits and stolen bases.  He might not have been a superstar because of his small frame.  In the Astros training camp, he got kicked out because of his height.  He was really sad.  His dad told him to go the next day and that is what he did.  The Astros signed him and they didn’t make a mistake doing so. As you can see, you should never judge a book by its cover, or in this case, by a player’s frame.

           Masahiro Tanaka

Masahiro Tanaka was the only thing going around the air during the winter season.  A superstar from Japan signed a seven year deal to Tanaka.  They didn’t end up regretting it.  The youngster  instantly fanned 100 batters.  He was also leading all of baseball with 12 wins.  His dominance would continue until before the All-Star break when he would get a slight tear in the UCL.  Although he was injured, he still made the All-Star game. He hopefully looks for a better season in 2015.

Manny Machado

Manny Machado is one of the best third basemen of the game.  He is also amazing with the bat.  He can also make impossible plays like there’s nothing to it.  He also has one problem… he can’t control his temper.  In his backswing he purposely hit the catcher in the head twice.  He got in trouble for that.  What really flared up Machado was when Josh Reddick was mad at him.  Then he purposely flung the bat at Josh Reddick.  Thankfully it missed and stopped being airborne before it hit the umpire.  He would get suspended for a week for doing so.  As you can see,  Manny Machado is one of the most fiery players in all of b   Jose Abreu

Jose Abreu is a Cuban born superstar.  In his first at bat as an American rookie, he would belt a home run.  The White Sox first baseman would take over the position that veteran legendary superstars Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko would call home: first base.               The All-Star Rookie would obviously become the American League Rookie of the Year.

          Dellin Betances

Dellin Betances is the Yankees greatest relief pitcher.  He one time struck out the side twice.  He gives the Yankees the best bullpen.  The Yankees have the most strikeouts in the bullpen courtesy of Dellin.  He was trying to be the fifth starter in Spring Training.  Now he is glad that he didn’t make it because he is the best bullpen pitcher.  This All-Star set up man will hopefully get the closer role if David Roberson doesn’t resign again in 2015.

         Matt Harvey

Matt Harvey is the Mets ace.  He strikes out a lot of batters and wins a lot.  He looks to return in 2015 after recovering from Tommy John Surgery.

          Jose Fernandez

This star studded Rookie of the Year pitcher has been held back due to Tommy John Surgery.  He strikes out a lot of batters.

  Buster Posey

Buster Posey is one of the best catchers in the game.  He has a great amount of power.  He is often lost in the shadows of Mike Trout, Clayton Kershaw, Yadier Molina, and Giancarlo Stanton.  Posey is one of the youngest baseball players.  Not to mention that he has two World Series, caught a no-hitter, won the 2010 rookie of the year award, and was the 2012 National League MVP.

 Craig Kimbrel

Craig Kimbrel is the new Mariano Rivera.  Craig is like Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera combined.  At a young age, Kimbrel is the Braves franchise saves leader.  In the picture you see Craig ”Kimbreling”.  This is what he does while looking for the sign from the catcher.

Epilogue

As you can see, all baseball players were once youngsters.  I hope this guide gave you a favorite young player.

             Bibliography

MLB Resources. MLB Superstars. USA:

Major League Baseball Properties Inc., 2014. Print.

by Jacoby Nolnaho

Who’s a Better Center Fielder: Mike Trout or Jacoby Ellsbury

Mike Trout and Jacoby Ellsbury are both probably the best defensive center fielders in the game.  They both own a gold glove.  Now let’s look at their ups and downs.

            Mike Trout

Mike Trout is the younger one and maybe the better one.  He won the rookie of the year award.  He really isn’t the fastest, but gets sudden speed surges that can help him steal bases and make impossible catches. He is also the best in the game in robbing hits, especially home runs. But what’s more impressive than Mike Trout’s glove?  His bat. Mike Trout has plenty of power.  That means he hits a lot of home runs.  But one thing is he strikes out a lot.  The speed that he has will probably never lead the league in steals like Jacoby Ellsbury.  Mike Trout is still more likely to make more all star appearances than Jacoby Ellsbury.  Also, Mike Trout has more home runs and definitely at good times.  He has a lot of walk-off hits.  A lot of them are home runs! Trout is also known for his great plays and home runs.  But what about the bad things?  What about his strikeouts?  He always strikes out.  Just like Mickey Mantle, he has an all or nothing swing.   Even his dad admitted that he strikes out way too much and has to work on his swing.  You can’t be a contact hitter if you’re always down on strikes.  The only thing stopping this headliner guy from making the Hall of Fame is his strikeout ratio.  Do you see Jacoby Ellsbury striking out all the time?  He only gets the occasional strikeout.   If I had one thing to change about Mike Trout, it would be his strikeouts. Besides his strikeouts, he is a perfect combination of speed, power, contact, glove, and can steal.  So, he is a five tool player and at a very young age.

  Jacoby Ellsbury

Jacoby Ellsbury is one of the best defensive center fielders in the game.  He uses his speed to his own advantage.  Besides stealing all those bases, he also uses his speed to make impossible catches that match Mike Trout’s.  But one thing holds Jacoby Ellsbury back, injuries.  They basically come every season to him from making diving catches or from stealing bases.  He also isn’t the youngest.  He was amazing with the Red Sox and now he is the star center fielder for the Yankees.

Jacoby definitely has more speed than Mike Trout.  He has led the league in stolen bases three times with the Red Sox. Jacoby has 241 stolen bases with Boston.  He also knows the Green Monster center field territory better than anybody else in baseball.  That can be explained by his seven years as a Boston center fielder.

He also owns a gold glove from Boston.  Jacoby Ellsbury is already used to the Yankee Stadium features of the field.  He continues to use his magic glove.  But Jacoby is a different story when you talk about his bat.  Jacoby Ellsbury has had recent power surges in hitting home runs.  In 2011, Jacoby got a career high 32 home runs.  But then again,  in 2013, playing 134 games, only got nine homers. Maybe it’s because of the Little Monster in right field. But Jacoby Ellsbury does make good contact with the ball.  He has 885 hits in his career with Boston.  So pretty much, Jacoby Ellsbury has a good bat and even better speed.  He is probably the best speedster and base thief in baseball right now.  But Jacoby Ellsbury doesn’t strike out that much.  He only gets an occasional strikeout.  Also, Jacoby has a lot of pressure on him in the Red Sox/Yankee rivalry.   It is hard for Ellsbury going up against his former team.  But all in all, he is a good player.

Who’s better?

It all comes down to this.  Who is the best center fielder in the game today?  Is it Ellsbury with his super human speed and his unbelievable glove?  Or is it Trout with his slugger bat and his nearly impossible putouts?  Is it Mike Trout who strikes out a lot, or the speedster Jacoby Ellsbury?  Or is it Jacoby Ellsbury with his over powering speed which Trout lacks?  The answer is Mike Trout.

                  Celebrate!

Why?  He is a five tool, gold glove slugging center fielder.  Making impossible catches every day, he is obviously the best in baseball.  He is still very young, and has a bright future ahead of him, like making a stop and staying at Cooperstown.  Mike Trout is just the best in baseball right now.  Even though he strikes out a lot, he doesn’t have to  worry about joining Mickey Mantle and Reggie Jackson on the all time strikeout list.  But, he might join them on the Hall of Fame list.

by Jacoby Nolnaho

Top Ten Best Catchers

The backstops have the roughest position on the baseball diamond. The gloved hand getting pounded all day with the ball and throwing with all their might to get the baserunner out. Don’t even get me started on the old collisions.  We now rank the top ten catchers.

  1. Carlos Ruiz

Being in the city of brotherly love, Carlos Ruiz has never left the Philles. In Philly, Carlos caught a perfect game and made multiple World Series appearances.

  1. Brian McCann

Picked up by the New York Yankees in the 2013 offseason, Brian did some surprising things. Taking advantage of the small left field wall, Brian socked 23 home runs. He also had a good percentage of thrown out base stealers.

  1. Carlos Santana

Alternating between first base and the catcher, Carlos has proved to be a great power hitter for the Cleveland Indians.

7. Kurt Suzuki

Kurt Suzuki is a really good catcher who plays for the Minnesota Twins. He took over for Joe Mauer once he moved to first base. Kurt did a good job as the backstop making the all-star team as the backup catcher for the American League.

  1. Matt Wieters

Matt Wieters had a great arm for throwing out baserunners until he was shut down by Tommy John Surgery. He made the all-star team as a starter only playing in 26 games in 2014.

5. Devin Mesoraco

Devin Mesoraco, the all-star catcher for the National League, led all of baseball for home runs by a catcher. Devin socked 25 of them. Devin also caught the famous Johnny Cueto and Aroldis Chapman.

  1. Russell Martin

Russell Martin is one of the best catchers in the game. He won a Wilson Defensive Player of the Year award for backstops in 2014. In 2014, Russell had monster on base percentage with the Pirates. He also hit 11 home runs in 111 games. It was no surprise when the Blue Jays signed Russell Martin in the offseason for 3 years.

3. Salvador Perez

Salvador Perez had a great breakout year in 2014. Salvador already had a Gold Glove under his belt to start the 2014 season. By the end of the season, Sal had two. Salvador Perez had 17 home runs also in 2014. He would be the all-star starting catcher due to Matt Wieters injury. Salvador Perez helped lead the Kansas City Royals to their first World Series appearance in 29 years.

  1. Buster Posey

Buster Posey is the heart and soul of the San Francisco Giants. He is also the face of the franchise. Back in 2011, he had a monster collision which left him with a broken leg, a broken ankle, and a concussion. Besides that tragic collision, Buster Posey helped lead the Giants to three World Series in five years. He won the Rookie of the Year award for the National League in 2010 and also won the 2012 NL MVP award, too.

All these catchers are great but aren’t great enough than number one. This catcher has a great glove and an even better arm. The number one catcher in all of baseball is…

  1. Yadier Molina

Yadier Molina is the best catcher in Major League Baseball. Yadier has 7 Gold Glove awards in his trophy room. One of those Gold Gloves came in 2014. Also in 2014, Yadier Molina won the Platinum Award. The Platinum Glove is awarded to the best defender of all the positions. Yadi’s best season came in 2012 where he hit 22 home runs. People said that is going in history as one of the best hitting catcher seasons. On top of that, Yadi has a pair of World Series rings. Yadi has a really good shot of going into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.